Chapter 14

" Yes. Better. Wake up. Mr. Mason. " The shaking voice came out in quick gasps from somewhere in the darkened room. " Nice. To see. You again. "

" How the hell did you get in here? "

" The question. Is. Mr. Attorney. How do. I Get. Out … "

But that was a question he didn't expect her to answer for him. He sat straight up, and tried to discover where she was in the room exactly. Della was sitting next to him, had grabbed his hand earlier while waking him up, and now tightened her fingers around his. He turned his hand in hers, so he could squeeze it before letting go. He took a few moments to catch his breath, his heart pounding, his mind working frantically to first consider and evaluate the situation and chances, and second, to think of a solution.

The three of them being together in this room wasn't the dangerous part, the presence of the silent item in the room was. Years of experience had made him recognize the glint of steel immediately when he saw it, even heard it, very shortly. Unlike the one he had seen the night before, this gun was definetely loaded, and definetely pointed at them. From the sound of Della's quick and heavy breathing, he knew she knew that too.

Slowly, he reached behind him. " I'm switching on the lights, now, Jennifer. " Buy time, call her by her name, ask more questions, confuse her, stay calm, distract her, buy time, buy time. " And I put my robe on. It's next to me. "

" What. Ever. But. Stay there. " She moaned out of pain, while fluttering her lashes to get her eyes used to the sudden, yet still dim light.

" I want to phone you a doctor, Jennifer. " Della's voice was soft and worried, her gaze fixed on the blood soaked bandage around the young woman's knee.

" No! I have seen. Doctors. All my life. " Jennifer moaned. " I don't. Want. Them. "

" Someone has to take care of your wounds, Jennifer. " Della was firm.

" Who. Cares. Lady ? "

" I do. And so should you. You might not be able to walk again if you don't let anyone take care of them. "

Mason groaned. Della had moved towards Jennifer before he had been able to grab her and pull her back. Damn it, Della. You know this is dangerous.

" Stay. Away. From me. " Jennifer barked at Della in quick gasps. She shifted on her stool in the corner of the room.

" What's going on here? " Drake barged into the bedroom, and again, recognized her immediately. " Jeezzz ... Jennifer… "

" Oh. Yes. Paul Drake. Do. Come in. "

" How did you get in here ? How long have you been here? " He watched the gun in her hand, and then her knee, before slowly turning his eyes to Perry Mason. The steel stare was on.

" Long. Enough. To know. They are not. Married. But. Do. The things. Married people. Do. Anyway. "

Mason glanced sidewards to Della. She was wearing his shirt, the one she had taken of off him earlier that night. It made her look tiny and fragile. He swallowed.

" Yes. " Della looked at him and then turned her eyes to the floor, tightening his shirt around her. " We appear to have had an audience. "

Mason addressed to Jennifer. " I hope you've enjoyed it. "

" Not as. Much as. You. " She tried to laugh, but failed and groaned out of pain and frustration. " Damn. "

" Why are you here, Jennifer? " Drake asked softly.

" I want. Some answers. " She shifted on her stool again.

" What makes you think we have them? " Mason exchanged quick looks with Drake, who slowly walked up to Jennifer.

But she noticed him getting closer. " Stay away. From me. " She shook the gun in the direction she wanted him to go. " Go. " When he didn't, she shouted at him. " Move! "

" What the … " The bedroomdoor opened again. Ken closed his eyes shortly at the light in the bedroom, and let go of the doorknob slowly.

" Oh yes. More. Company. Welcome. "

Ken quickly scanned the room, and then very slowly sat down on the bed. " Hi. You're Jennifer, right ? "

" Is he. Your son ? " Jennifer asked Della. She shook her head.

" No. I'm not her son. " Ken answered the question and swallowed hard at the sight of the gun pointed at his face.

" Are. You sure. About that. Boy ? "

" Yeah, quite sure. "

" Why ? " Jennifer sighed the word.

" Why ? " Ken looked puzzled. " Well, I know my parents, I've been with them all my life … And, though I don't really like it, I even look like them. "

" You. Are a lucky. Son of a bitch. " Jennifer gasped. " Damn …! It hurts. "

" What makes you say that, dear ? " Drake interfered.

" Don't. Sweet talk me. " Her eyes were fierce, she was breathing quickly.

" It's a simple question. "

" I. Don't. Know. My mother. Smartass. He. Does. "

" I'm sorry about that. "

" What answers do you want from us, Jennifer? " Mason's voice softly asked, his mind still working overtime. The wounded young woman on the stool had gone through great lengths to come here, had kept silence for hours, had to be in excruciating pain now. Her message had to be incredibly important for her to go through all this. He cursed on the inside of his tired mind. Della was too far away from him to pull her to him, and it made him feel sick. Somehow, he knew this had to be about her.

Paul sensed this as well, and tried to get closer to his second mother unnoticed.

He failed.

" Stay. Away. From her. "

" Why ? "

" She. Could be. My mother. "

" That's not possible, Jennifer. " Della stated.

Don't, Della. Don't.

Drake and Mason exchanged quick looks again. Paul brought his hands behind his back, to give Ken signs to move towards Della.

" And. Why. The hell. Not. Lady ? " Jennifer moved her stool closer to her over the carpet.

" I can't have children. " Della answered truthfully.

" What. The hell. Does. That mean? "

" I could not conceive, Jennifer. "

" So. You. Don't have. Them. From yourself. " The gun was pointed at Della's forehead now.

" No. "

" But. You are. A mother to. Him. " Jennifer tilted her head in the direction of Paul Drake. " I saw it. You. Love him. "

" Yes. I've known him since he was born. He is the son of a very dear friend, and I love him like a son. But he is not mine. "

Damn it, Della. Don't do this. Stop talking. Ask questions.

" You can. Still be. My mother. If you. Want. "

" You had mothers before … "

" So? "

" What did you do to them ? "

" I killed. Them. I killed. Them "

" Why? " Mason's voice queried, softly, without giving away how anxious he was.

" Who wants. To. Know. Mason? "

" I do. "

" The man. Or. The great. Attorney ? "

" That's me, both. "

" Well. Perry. Mason. They. Left me. As garbage. " It sounded like a shriek.

" And then you killed them, and left them as garbage … " He gasped at the sight of her.

Jennifer Parker's innocent eyes, the ones he had questioned ages ago at the witness stand, were gone. " Smart. Man. " The eyes shot fire at him now. " So. Now. I am. Going to. Have to kill. Again. "

" Who? " Drake caught the awareness and extreme worry in Mason's eyes.

Lord, no.

" You. Lady. " The gun swung back to Della again. She shivered and closed her eyes, frowning at the sensation of feeling cold steel on the skin of her forehead.

" Why? " Della's voice was soft. Her question was a sob.

Lord, no.

" You. Should have. Stayed. Married him. "

" Why? " Delaying technique number one. Keep her talking, keep her talking, ask questions, buy time, stay calm.

" Emmett Michaels. Cares for me. He wants. Me to have. A mother. "

" Why? "

" I am. Worth. Attention. He taught me. " She shifted on her stool again and moaned deeply, before she was able to speak again. The gun shook in her hand. " He even. Build. The tunnel. For me. To be. Able to come. To him. In the clinic. If I needed him. "

" You are worth attention. But I don't want to be your mother. "

Della, don't. Damn. Ask questions.

" Shut up! " Jennifer hit Della hard with the gun. She fell from the footend of the bed to the floor, as Perry reached out for her with both arms. A trinkle of blood appeared on her temple.

" You! " Jennifer yelled at Perry. " Sit. Down. "

" Why did you do that? " Paul Drake couldn't hide his anger from the young woman in front of him.

" I need. A mother. " Jennifer hissed.

" Yeah. So you just smack her, right? " He took two steps forward.

" Drake. Listen. I already killed. Two women. Who. Left. I'll kill. Again. If I have to. " Jennifer whispered, sighing the words. " I need. A mother. "

Della tried to sit up, and felt at her temple. The bleeding wasn't bad, but her head was pounding. She glanced at Perry shortly and read the strong tension in his eyes. The soft sound of sirenes in the background probably should have been reassuring, but it wasn't.

" Why kill Della, Jennifer ? "

" Because. That's what. Happens. You leave me. I kill you. And move. On."

Suddenly, her eyes grew wider, and she leaned back against the wall again.

" What. Is. That? " The sound of police sirens came closer.

" That's the police. They're coming to talk to you. " Amy's frame in the doorway surprised all of them, except Mason. He had seen her immediately ten seconds ago, when she had mouthed to him 'I phoned the police'.

" No! " Jennifer started to shake. " No. No police. No doctors. I had. Enough."

" Just talk to them, put the gun down, Jennifer. " Drake urged, while he mover closer.

" No! " Jennifer shook her head, bringing her hands on front of her face.

" I'm sure we can work things out. "

" No! "

" You can talk to them, Jennifer. They will understand. " Drake reached out his hands to grab the gun out of her slender, shaking fingers.

" No!" The sound of running footsteps and soft voices in the hallway was interrupted by the sound of a shot echoeing through the bedroom.

" No! " the scream was Della's this time. Jennifer's fragile figure fell onto the thick carpet with a sickening sound. Della kneeled down next to her. " Oh, no … "

Drake squatted down on the other side of Jennifer and felt her throat for a pulse. He shook his head. The sudden silence was interrupted by a soft sob from Della. " … girl … "

" Damn it! " Mason sank onto the bed. " Damn … "

She crawled up to Perry's form on the bed, and reached out for him, still on her knees. Leaning forward, grabbing her arms, he buried his face in her neck. " Damn. " She cried long sobs to his shoulder, as he held her tighter to him. The thought of losing her was not something he really wanted to get used to, and now he had experienced it very thoroughly and very hard, two times in three days. " Baby … " he stroked her back, swallowing hard. A quiet sob came from deep in his chest. She pulled herself up, by putting her hands around his neck to be in a very close embrace, her shoulders still shaking. They sat interlaced, for a long time, until Paul broke their closeness silently.

" Della, she's … do you … " His choking voice revealed withheld tears. Even Perry looked up to see his face.

She sniffed. " What, Paul? "

" She's wearing your rings … do you want me to take them off? "

Della loosened her embrace with Perry and turned towards Jennifer. She took the small hands in her own, and softly rubbed the rings on the lifeless fingers. " No, just leave them there. " She whispered and sniffed again.

" You sure? "

" Yes. " She nodded firmly. " Let her have them. I wish she had understood the meaning of them to me. I wish she'd known that kind of love and pleasure. "

" She might have understood it. " Mason's voice was thick with emotion. " That's probably why she took them and wore them herself. Is wearing them. " He watched the twisted lifeless young body on his bedroomfloor. " Damn, what a shame, we could have … "

" Could have helped her? "

" Yes. With the right treatment, right medication, rest. This was so … unnecessary. " He held his face, and shook his head. " Lord ... The things people do to eachother … "

" And themselves. " Della sat down next to him, and he turned to take her in his arms again.

" Yeah, well, Perry, I believe this might have been a mission impossible. " Ken interrupted their thoughts. He held Amy to him. She just stared at the floor.

" No one is a mission impossible, Ken. No one. Don't ever say or think that again. " Though his voice sounded muffled against the fabric of his own shirt on the woman in front of him, the message was clear.

" Well, maybe except Glenn Robertson. " Della's voice added.

Mason grimaced a grin against her shoulder. " Not even Glenn Robertson, however hard it is to believe that now. "

" So, guys … here I am. Again. " Ed Brock's voice interrupted the soft conversations, as he walked into the room and stood still next to the body. " A young life like that … " He pursed his lips and shook his head, before he continued. " Guys, listen, I'm sorry, but forensics need the room for the investigation. I have to ask you to leave. "

####

As the ambulance drove off to the morgue with Jennifer's body, Brock found Mason and his private secretary in their livingroom. They were on the couch, her head on a pillow on his lap. She had stayed there after one of the paramedics had stitched the wound on her temple.

Mason's hand stroked from her waist to her hip, while the fingers of his other hand slowly combed through her hair. They spoke softly to eachother. Though she smiled to the big attorney, her fingers still held a small handkerchief.

At Brock's appearance, she slowly sat up, frowning at the pain in her head. " I take it you need my statement as well, lieutenant. "

" Nah. We've talked to your Mr. Mason here, and we took statements of Mr. Drake and Mr. Malansky. " He shook his head, watching her. " Let's just say, if you remember anything important, you tell us, Miss. Are you all right ? "

She nodded, as she whiped her face, and hesitantly touched the stitches on her temple. " I think so. It'll take some time, I suppose. I only hope this was the last time I was the target. "

" And how are you, Ed ? " Mason asked in his low voice, reluctantly taking his eyes off the lady next to him.

" Yeah, well, you know how it is, couns'lor. I hate the job sometimes … "

Perry just nodded.

" So, she killed the women. "

" Yes, she did. She killed Elizabeth Parker and the other woman, I asked you to identify because I thought it could be your Miss. It turned out to be Mary Steens. She used to maintain the gardens outside the clinic, before she was reported missing a week ago. Her body was dumped in Denver, probably the day when they came to fetch you, Miss. We've found traces of her blood in the van you were taken with. "

Della shivered again, and leaned back to Perry. He kissed her softly before putting his arms around her.

" But Brock … "

" Mister Drake … " the lieutenant turned his weary body towards the sound of Paul Drake's voice " What can I do for you? "

" Why didn't she kill Laura Robertson ? I mean, Mrs. Robertson couldn't conceive either, and she was close to Emmett Michaels for a while. "

Brock nodded. " Well, you know, Drake, first of all, in a way, she did try to kill her, by helping her to get the death penalty. I read the files of the Robertson's case you did. You were there when she admitted Mrs. Robertson had left the party, so she could have killed Luke Dickinson. "

He coughed and cleared his throat. " And, second, Mrs. Robertson never gave in to dr. Michaels' avances. Never gave the impression she cared for dr. Michaels, never took care of him. And, mind you, Miss Parker knew Mrs. Robertson was ill, and suffered from a depression, which would have made her unsuitable to be a mother. But the main thing is, it was very clear Mrs. Robertson didn't care for dr. Michaels. That was most important for Jennifer. So she didn't have to be killed right away, but when the possibility appeared, in court, she toook her chances. "

" And why me? " Della asked.

" My dear Miss Street. " Ed Brock took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. " Looking back now, I'd say that's easy. You stayed around the insane man, while you could have left him. All doors were open. In her world, that meant you cared for the man she thought was her father. She picked out the weddingdresses for you to get married in, so she knew about the intentions. And then, you ran off anyway. That was the story of her life. Liz Parker had done that, Mary Steens had done that. They had shown to care for Emmett Michaels, her father, but had left him anyway. That's how she felt about her mother. That's why she had to kill you. Eliminate you. To rule you out so to speak. "

Della had grown silent listening to the sickening truth.

" Did she know Glenn Robertson was her father? "

" No. She had adopted the thought her father was dr. Michaels, like he had adpoted the thought she was his daughter. "

" How is Emmett ? Where is he? Does he know about Jennifer yet? "

" Dr. Michaels is being treated now. He needs the right medication, the right treatment. He might even be cured. But, I'll tell him, when the time is right. "

He sighed. " And then we'll have to find out what else he has done. And why. "

He sighed again. " And then, I have Glenn Robertson to attend to, who gave up his daughter twenty years ago. I want to know why, and how. I want to know who her mother was. "

Mason inhaled deeply and blew out a long breath, before he stood up slowly.

" Some behaviour is so very difficult to understand, it's hard for me to stick to believing in the goodness of mankind. " Brock stated silently. " Harsh crimes, Mason, harsh crimes. "

" Yes. " Mason said, then looked at the lieutenant. " Why did she drive over them with a car, Ed? And why the decapitation? "

" You know, I can only guess, couns'lor. And the only one that could really tell us why, well … "

" Yes, we'll never really know, will we. "

Ed Brock sighed very deeply. He put one of his hands on the broad shoulder next to him. " Question is, couns'lor, do we really want to know ? "

" I guess sometimes we don't. "

" That's right. Goodnight, all. Well, goodmorning. I sure hope I don't have to come and see you in the next couple of hours. Stay out of trouble now, will you please? " He grinned.

Mason smiled at the lieutenant, while he took his left hand to shake it. " Goodday, Brock. Thank you. "

Shoulders sunken in from the relieving tiredness he felt, he watched Ed Brock leave the house and noticed the familair approaching warmth. She hugged his arm and lay her head against his shoulder.

" So, where do we sleep tonight ? " He asked her. " We can go to a hotel, or … "

" No. I love to be home, Perry, here, with you. We'll just sleep in the spare bedroom downstairs for now. If that's okay with you ? "

" Sure. " He lifted his arm over her head, to pull her towards him. " My home is where you are, Della. I go where you go. "

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Now, all that is left is an epilogue